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Limitless Review

Last night we got off our lazy butts and finally went on a long anticipated movie date! Remember a while back when I pimped out Limitless as my most anticipated movie of Spring? Well, I have been dying to see it since it came out last week but after my surgery and then with school keeping me incredibly busy, we just never got a chance to go. Luckily it was playing at the nice theater in town. We have two mainstream theaters; one is your modern stadium seating theater, the other is a Regal and we avoid it at all costs. There is no stadium seating, the audio and picture aren’t really up to snuff, and it just generally sucks. Unfortunately, since they have the Regal name, often they get the good movies. We got lucky this time! Plus, my student I.D. got us $5 movie tickets. Sweet!

My Review of Limitless

Limitless is a superhero movie in disguise. In the same vein as Batman, Bradley Cooper plays Eddie Moura, a self made hero. However, rather than using gadgets and wealth for the greater good, Eddie had NZT, a pill of shady origins that gives you access to every bit of information that you have ever seen, read or heard by activating chemical receptors in your brain. Perhaps this sounds too good to be true, but the science of the pill isn’t that far from a basis in reality. It isn’t too far-fetched to believe that this kind of technology exists or could exist in the not so distant future.

With his obvious good looks and cocky charm, Bradley Cooper is the perfect Eddie. Though his character isn’t particularly lovable, as he is essentially a power-hungry drug addict, he is easy to relate to and real. When we first meet him, Eddie is a down on his luck writer with a serious case of writer’s block. He is disheveled, dirty, living in an apartment not fit for humans, and losing his business professional girlfriend. When Eddie runs in to Vernon, his ex-brother-in-law, who supplies Eddie with his first dose of NZT, Eddie transcends in to a beautiful world fit only for those who are rich, intelligent, and stunningly good looking. However, as per formula, being perfect comes with an array of villainous characters that want to tear you down.

On one hand, Limitless is smart and sleek. The viewer will be pulled in to Eddie’s world and find they contemplate what they would do in his situation. On the other hand, the film is not without flaws. The biggest flaw is the relationship between Eddie and his girlfriend, Lindy. When the film opens, we see Lindy leaving Eddie, and for good reason, she is clearly much too good for him. However, without being a romantic film, we watch the couple break up and reunite countless times over the course of the movie. For that matter, Lindy, though not a fully developed character, does seem to be smart and successful, leaving the viewer questioning why she continues to take Eddie back every time he apologizes.

The film’s other major flaw is that it doesn’t do a satisfying job of tying up some of the minor story lines. At one point, Eddie blacks out and is seen by a witness leaving the scene of a murder. Eddie has made himself in to a millionaire at this point and he is able to but his way out of trial using the best resources the law system has to offer, but we are never clear if he actually committed the murder or not. Small loose ends like this prove irksome and unnecessary.

Despite its flaws, Limitless is engaging and enjoyable. It provides a look in to the world of the rich and famous through the eyes of someone who simply shouldn’t be there. Eddie’s character is a flawed man who must overcome the physical and mental barriers that keep him from being a truly good person. Limitless is a film that is worth seeing. It will make you think but it will never leave you bored or wondering if it was trying too hard.

I hope that motivates you to see it! It was very good and absolutely worth the ticket price. If you still need convincing, you can check out the trailer here.

On a final note, I got my tax return back and treated myself to some new running gear plus registration for the 2011 Portland Marathon! I really enjoyed the race last year despite the weather and the fact that I wasn’t as prepared as I could have been. Hopefully, now that I know the course, I can try and PR this year! Stay tuned for more!